Environmental drivers of dissolved organic matter composition across central European aquatic systems: A novel correlation-based machine learning and FT-ICR MS approach.

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) present in surface aquatic systems is a heterogeneous mixture of organic compounds reflecting its allochthonous and autochthonous organic matter (OM) sources. The composition of DOM is determined by environmental factors like land use, water chemistry, and climate, which influence its release, movement, and turnover in the ecosystem. However, studying the impact of these environmental factors on DOM composition is challenging due to the dynamic nature of the system and the complex interactions of multiple environmental factors involved.

Photogrammetric evaluation of extended midline strip craniectomy with bilateral parietal osteotomies on frontal morphology in patients with isolated sagittal synostosis.

Objective: Isolated craniosynostosis of the sagittal suture results in scaphocephaly characterized by a long, narrow skull. Surgical correction of this condition remains debated, particularly regarding the necessity of directly addressing frontal bossing. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of extended strip craniectomy combined with bilateral barrel staving in improving cranial morphology without direct intervention on the forehead.

The identification of low-pathogenic bacteria on removed spinal implants and implications for antimicrobial prophylaxis.

Introduction: The role of low-pathogenic bacteria cultured from removed spinal implants is unclear and the efficacy of perioperative single-dose antibiotics against such bacteria remains underexplored.

Research Question: This study aims to investigate whether pedicle screw loosening is associated with pathogens and if the choice of perioperative antibiotics can prevent these bacteria.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 93 patients with implants removed between 01/01/2018 and 03/31/2020.

Evaluating optic system compression in sellar tumors: A novel application of quantitative pupillometry.

Introduction: Tumorous growths in the sellar region pose significant clinical challenges due to their proximity to critical visual structures such as the optic chiasm and optic nerves. Given their proximity to the optic system, these tumors are often diagnosed due to a progressive decrease in visual acuity. Thus, surgical intervention is crucial to prevent irreversible damage, as timely decompression can halt the progression of edema and subsequent optic atrophy.

Reduction in Renal Heme Oxygenase-1 Is Associated with an Aggravation of Kidney Injury in Shiga Toxin-Induced Murine Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome.

Hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) is a systemic complication of an infection with Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing enterohemorrhagic , primarily leading to acute kidney injury (AKI) and microangiopathic hemolytic anemia. Although free heme has been found to aggravate renal damage in hemolytic diseases, the relevance of the heme-degrading enzyme heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1, encoded by ) in HUS has not yet been investigated. We hypothesized that HO-1 also important in acute phase responses in damage and inflammation, contributes to renal pathogenesis in HUS.

Level I and II deficits-A clinical survey on international practice of awake craniotomy and definitions of postoperative "major" and "minor" deficits.

Background: Awake craniotomy (AC) is a technique that balances maximum resection and minimal postoperative deficits in patients with intracranial tumors. To aid in the comparability of functional outcomes after awake surgery, this study investigated its international practice and aimed to define categories of postoperative deficits.

Methods: A survey was distributed via neurosurgical networks in Europe (European Association of Neurosurgical Societies, EANS), the Netherlands (Nederlandse Vereniging voor Neurochirurgie, NVVN), Belgium (Belgian Society of Neurosurgery, BSN), and the United States (Congress of Neurological Surgeons, CNS) between April 2022 and April 2023.

Depression in patients with anorectal fistulas and anal fissures: a propensity score-matched cohort study.

Purpose: Anal fissures and anorectal fistulas are diseases often associated with significant pain and prolonged discomfort, resulting in a significantly reduced quality of life (QoL). They are not only a surgical problem but also have a profound psychosocial impact and influence on QoL. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of depression in patients with these pathologies and to highlight the need to address the psychosocial aspects of these diseases.

Assessment of the efficacy and safety of neuroendoscopic procedures for intracranial pathologies: A single-centre retrospective study with 318 intracranial endoscopic procedures.

Introduction: Neuroendoscopy has become a well-established procedure for treating various intracranial conditions.

Research Question: We evaluated the advantages of that technique, with focus on adverse events.

Material And Methods: Retrospective analysis included all patients who underwent neuroendoscopic procedures between January 2017 and December 2023.

Meta-analysis and review of rechargeable implantable pulse generators for spinal cord stimulation and deep brain stimulation.

Introduction: Neuromodulation through deep brain stimulation (DBS) and spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has become a successful therapy for various neurological disorders, such as movement disorders and chronic pain. Implantable pulse generators (IPGs) are pivotal in these therapies, available as either rechargeable (r-IPGs) or non-rechargeable (nr-IPGs).

Research Question: To perform a meta-analysis on r-IPGs.

Ehlers-Danlos syndromes and related disorders: diagnostic challenges and the need for an interdisciplinary patient care in Germany.

Unlabelled: (215 words): Introduction: Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) represent a group of heritable connective tissue disorders characterised by skin hyperelasticity, joint hypermobility and generalized tissue fragility. Many patients remain undiagnosed years after initial symptoms and an accurate diagnosis is difficult despite all efforts. Currently, Germany lacks a patient registry and a specialised EDS centre.

Practical and statistical aspects of subgroup analyses in surgical neuro-oncology: A comprehensive review from the PIONEER Consortium.

Subgroup analyses are essential to generate new hypotheses or to estimate treatment effects in clinically meaningful subgroups of patients. They play an important role in taking the next step towards personalized surgical treatment for brain tumor patients. However, subgroup analyses must be used with consideration and care because they have significant potential risks.

New insights into the structural role of EMILINs within the human skin microenvironment.

Supramolecular extracellular matrix (ECM) networks play an essential role in skin architecture and function. Elastin microfibril interface-located proteins (EMILINs) comprise a family of three extracellular glycoproteins that serve as essential structural components of the elastin/fibrillin microfibril network, and exert crucial functions in cellular signaling. Little is known about the structural nature of EMILIN networks in skin.

FGF21 and its underlying adipose tissue-liver axis inform cardiometabolic burden and improvement in obesity after metabolic surgery.

Background: This research investigates the determinants of circulating FGF21 levels in a cohort reflecting metabolic disease progression, examining the associations of circulating FGF21 with morphology and function of adipose tissue (AT), and with metabolic adjustments following metabolic surgery.

Methods: We measured serum FGF21 in 678 individuals cross-sectionally and in 189 undergoing metabolic surgery longitudinally. Relationships between FGF21 levels, AT histology, transcriptomes and proteomes, cardiometabolic risk factors, and post-surgery metabolic adjustments were assessed using univariate and multivariate analyses, causal mediation analysis, and network integration of AT transcriptomes and proteomes.

Exploring the Spectrum of Comorbidities Associated with Primary Aldosteronism: Insights from a Large Real-World Case-Control Study.

: Primary aldosteronism (PA) is a common cause of endocrine hypertension, characterized by excessive aldosterone secretion leading to hypertension, hypokalemia, and metabolic alkalosis. While historically diagnosed based on this classic triad of symptoms, current understanding reveals a more nuanced presentation. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of PA-associated diseases in a large German population.

Intraoperative label-free tissue diagnostics using a stimulated Raman histology imaging system with artificial intelligence: An initial experience.

Background: Accurate intraoperative tissue diagnostics could impact on decision making regarding the extent of resection (EOR) during brain tumor surgery. Stimulated Raman histology (SRH) is a label-free optical imaging method that uses different biochemical properties of tissue to generate a hematoxylin-eosin-like image and, in combination with an artificial intelligence-based image classifier, offers the opportunity to obtain rapid intraoperative tissue diagnoses.

Objective: The goal of this study was to report on our initial experience with SRH to evaluate its accuracy in comparison to final tissue diagnosis.

The impact of intraoperative mapping during re-resection in recurrent gliomas: a systematic review.

Purpose: Previous evidence suggests that glioma re-resection can be effective in improving clinical outcomes. Furthermore, the use of mapping techniques during surgery has proven beneficial for newly diagnosed glioma patients. However, the effects of these mapping techniques during re-resection are not clear.

Generation of two isogenic human iPSC lines (ZIPi013-B-1, ZIPi013-B-2) carrying a CRISPR/Cas9-mediated deletion of TRPM4.

Two isogenic hiPSC lines, ZIPi013-B-1 and ZIPi013-B-2, were generated by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated indels in the TRPM4 gene of the previously published ZIPi013-B. TRPM4 belongs to the evolutionarily conserved family of transient receptor potential (TRP) channels. It is expressed ubiquitously and its activity is regulated by intracellular calcium binding, changes in membrane potential, phosphoinositide lipids in the plasma membrane and the local concentration of cytoplasmic ATP and ADP.

The prognostic impact of CDKN2A/B hemizygous deletions in IDH-mutant glioma.

Background: Homozygous deletions of CDKN2A/B are known to predict poor prognosis in gliomas, but the impact of hemizygous deletions is less clear. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of hemizygous CDKN2A/B deletions in IDH-mutant low-grade astrocytomas and oligodendrogliomas.

Methods: Tissue samples diagnosed as astrocytoma, IDH-mutant and oligodendroglioma, IDH-mutant, 1p/19q co-deleted CNS WHO grade 2 and 3 were collected from the archives of the Institute of Neuropathology in Heidelberg.

Declaration of Computational Neurosurgery.

Computational neurosurgery is a novel and disruptive field where artificial intelligence and computational modeling are used to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of patients affected by diseases of neurosurgical relevance. The field aims to bring new knowledge to clinical neurosciences and inform on the profound questions related to the human brain by applying augmented intelligence, where the power of artificial intelligence and computational inference can enhance human expertise. This transformative field requires the articulation of ethical considerations that will enable scientists, engineers, and clinical neuroscientists, including neurosurgeons, to ensure that the use of such a powerful application is conducted based on the highest moral and ethical standards with a patient-centric approach to predict and prevent mistakes.

Comparative analysis of 333 proGAV® and proGAV 2.0® adjustable valves in pediatric hydrocephalus treatment: survival and complication rate assessment.

Objective: ProGAV and ProGAV2.0 adjustable valves are extensively used for treating hydrocephalus in pediatric patients. This study aims to conduct a comprehensive comparison between these two valves concerning their survival and complication rates.

Medication Burden Before and After Prescription of Biologics in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Biologics are a cornerstone in the treatment of severe cases of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and aim to control the disease and improve quality of life. This study investigated changes in nonbiologic medication prescriptions for IBD patients initiating biologic therapy in Germany. This study used data from anonymized pharmacy records in the German longitudinal prescription (LRx) database and included biologic-naive IBD patients who received their first biologic therapy prescription between 2016 and 2022.

The Prognostic Impact of Radioiodine Therapy in Patients with Papillary Thyroid Cancer.

Radioiodine (RAI) therapy after surgery, is an important component for the treatment of patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), the most common thyroid cancer. In this study we sought to evaluate the cancer-specific survival (CSS) impact of RAI in specific thyroid cancer subgroups. The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database were used to identify patients with PTC who underwent surgery between 2000 and 2019.

Differentiating Postural and Kinetic Tremor Responses to Deep Brain Stimulation in Essential Tremor.

Background: While deep brain stimulation (DBS) targeting the ventral intermediate nucleus (VIM) of thalamus or posterior subthalamic area (PSA) can suppress forms of action tremor in people with Essential Tremor, previous studies have suggested postural tremor may respond more robustly than kinetic tremor to DBS.

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to more precisely quantify the (1) onset/offset dynamics and (2) steady-state effects of VIM/PSA-DBS on postural and kinetic tremor.

Methods: Tremor data from wireless inertial measurement units were collected from 11 participants with ET (20 unilaterally assessed DBS leads).